This letter is written to confirm the "bench" decision rendered
by the undersigned in the above-entitled matter on May 25, 1994, in
the St. Croix County Courthouse, Hudson, Wisconsin.

Pursuant to a request by St. Croix County Courthouse Employee's
Local #576-B, WCCME, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, herein the Union, and the
subsequent concurrence by St. Croix County, herein the County, the
undersigned was appointed

Arbitrator by the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission
pursuant to the procedure contained in the grievance-arbitration
provisions of the parties' collective bargaining agreement, to hear
and decide a dispute as specified below.

Hearing in the matter was held on May 25, 1994 as noted above.
At the hearing the parties requested, and the undersigned agreed to
provide, a "bench" award, which is herein confirmed. The parties
agreed to waive written analysis and rationale for the Arbitrator's
"bench" decision. The parties also agreed to bifurcate the
hearing, and take the procedural issues prior to the substantive
issues.

The parties stipulated to the following procedural issue:

Is the grievance properly before the Arbitrator?

The Union made a number of arguments at hearing in support of
its contention that the grievance is arbitrable while the County
took the opposite position.

Mr. Steve Hartmann

Mr. Stephen L. Weld

June 3, 1994

Page 2

Based on the record evidence and the parties' arguments, the
undersigned issued a "bench" decision and found that the answer to
the issue as stipulated to by the parties was NO, the grievance is
not properly before the Arbitrator. Having ruled in favor of the
County on its procedural objection, the Arbitrator ruled that he
had no jurisdiction to hear the substantive dispute. The
undersigned therefore denied the grievance and dismissed the
matter.

By terms of this letter I am confirming same and closing the
file on the above case.